Picnic table shelter



Feb. 8, 1966 P. FERRIER PICNIC TABLE SHELTER 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Nov. 12

:NvENfoR PETER FERFU R Feb. 8, 1966 P. FERRIER PICNIC TABLE SHELTER 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed NOV. 12, 1963 INVE'NYOR PETER FERRIER ziiJf z United States Patent 3,233,618 PICNIC TABLE SHELTER Peter Ferrier, 2803 E. th Ave., Vancouver 12,

Y British Columbia, Canada Filed Nov. 12, 1963, Ser. No. 322,863 1 Claim. (31. 135-5 My invention relates to a shelter which is adapted for attachment to an outdoor table so as to give persons seated at the table some protection from the elements. The invention contemplates the use of a cover supportingframe which may be quickly and easily erected over a picnic table, one which is capable of being dismantled andifo'rmed into a neat, compact bundle to be conveniently stowed away in the luggage compartment of an automobile or other vehicle. I

The objects of the invention include the provision of such a picnic table shelter which may take the form of a simple awning or alternatively may be a table enclosing tent both of which may be readily adjusted to accommodate tables having varying lengths and thicknesses.

' These and other objects will appear in the following Specification and be shown in the accompanying drawings.

Referring to the drawings: 7

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of the invention attached to a picnic table.

FIGURE. 2 is an end elevation of the invention similarly mounted and showing a modified form of the cover.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation, Tpartin section, of the lower portion of the vertical posts.

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to'FIG. 3 of the upper portion of the posts.

" FIGURE 5 is a transverse section taken on the line 5.'-5 of FIG. 4.

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged end elevation of the upper portion of the verticalposts of a modified form of the frame.

FIGURE 7 is a sectional plan view taken on the line 7-7 of FIG. 6. v

i Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the numeral 10 indicates a table of the type usually found at picnic and camping sites. Such a table normally has a'fairly heavy rectangular top 11 which overhangs a base 12 and supported on each side of said base is a pair of benches 14.

The present invention consists of a frame generally indicated by 15 and having twoposts 16 which may be constructed of tubular'orother suitable material. However, I prefer to construct the posts of angle iron for maximum rigidity and strength and said posts are adapted to be secured one at each end of the table top 11 and in the centre thereof. For this purpose the posts are fitted at their lower ends with clamps 18 which are applied to the table edge so that the posts are normally supported in a vertical position or perpendicular to the top surface of the table.

As shown in FIG. 3 each clamp 18 has a lower jaw 19 which is connected by a web 20 to a sleeve 21. This sleeve is triangular in cross-section to conform to the shape of the post and said sleeve may be secured to the end of the post by welding. A cup-shaped bracket 22 is integrally formed on the sleeve 21 so as to project outwardly from its lower edge.

The upper jaw 25 of the clamp is suspended from a longer but similarly shaped sleeve 26 which is mounted for sliding movement on the post. A nut 27 is secured to the sleeve 26 and is fitted with a bolt 28. A number of vertically spaced openings 29 are provided in the post to receive the end of the bolt 28. Sleeve 26 has an inwardly projecting web 31 on which an internally threaded barrel 32 is carried. This barrel is fitted with a bolt 33, the upper end of said bolt having a hand wheel 34 and the lower end being rotatably secured to the jaw 25. The

position of the sleeve 26 on the post may be adjusted according to the thickness of the table top 11, said top then being securely clamped between the jaws 19 and 25 with the post firmly in contact with the table edge.

The posts 16 may be asingle length of angle iron or the like but preferably the posts are made up of a lower portion 16A to which the clamp 18 is attached and an upper portion 16B. A coupling 37 serves to secure the two post portions together, which coupling is shown in detail in FIG. 3. In this view it will be seen that the coupling consists of two identical bosses 38 which are secured together in face to face contact by means of hinge bolt 39 and a wing nut 40. The abutting faces of the bosses are each provided with an annular band of teeth 41 which are radially disposed to the axis of the bolt 39. When the teeth 41 are clamped into mesh by advancing the nut 40 on its bolt, the two bosses are locked together so that portion 16B cannot be rotated about the axis of the hingle bolt 39. Secured to the top of each post 16 is a plate 42 which projects above the end 43of the post. The plate has an outwardly extending top flange 44 and midway between said flange andthe post end 43 a horizontal pin 45 is carried by the plate 42. Lugs 47 are formed on the sides of the plate below the flange 44 and hingedly secured to the lugs by rivets 48 in an inverted U-shaped extension 49.

Each post 16 supports a horizontal cross member 52 consisting of a sleeve 53 having a central transverse opening 54. The diameter of this sleeve is such as to closely fit the space between the end 43 of the post and the flange 44. Iri'this position the pin 45 projects through the opening 54 and the sleeve is held by the flange and the post so that it cannot rock about the pin. The sleeve 53 forms a socket for the inner ends of a pair of arms 56 which ends abut the pin 45. The outer ends of the arms project a suitable distance beyond the benches 14 of the picnic table and are each fitted with a ferrule 57 which carries an eye 58.

The frame 15 supports a table cover 60 which, as shown in FIG. 1, may consist of a rectangular sheet of canvas or plastic. Suitably secured along the longitudinal centre of the cover 60 is a length of cord 62 which projects a considerable distance beyond the ends of the canvas sheet. The cord ends are tied, or are secured by suitable fasteners not shown, to the upraised extensions 49. When the extensions are connected together in this manner they bear against the sleeve 53 of the cross member 52 and prevent said sleeve from moving ofif the pin 45. Other lengths of cord 63 are similarly secured along the two reinforced side edges of the cover 60 and the ends of these cords are tied or otherwise fastened to the eyes 58 on the pairs of arms 56. Thus the cover is supported by the frame with the cord 62 forming a ridge in the canvas sheet which extends over the benches 14. Persons seated at the picnic table are protected to a large extent from sun and rain by the above described shelter.

The modified cover shown in FIG. 2 is in the form of a tent 65 which includes a roof 66, side walls 67 and end walls 68 each of said end walls being provided with a door flap 69. This form of cover has a ridge cord 71 and side edge cords 72 which are secured to the inside of the canvas so that their ends hang freely and may be tied to the extension 49 and eyes 58 as before. In this way the canvas is prevented from sagging on the frame and a neat weatherproof shelter is provided for the table. If it is found that the table is shorter than the tent 65 obviously there will be a surplus of canvas at least at one end of the shelter. Assuming that one piece posts are used for the frame 15 this surplus canvas is simply folded back and secured with snap fasteners or is pulled down and neatly folded outside the post at one end of the tent. However, if two part posts are in use, some or all of this surplus may be taken up by adjustment of the couplings 37. By backing off the nut on the couplings 37 the portions 168 may beswung away from the table and reclamped at an angle .to the portions 16A as shown in FIG. 3. The canvas will then be sufficiently taut to avoid unsightly sagging or interfere with movement around the tent. Suitably secured with in a fold sewn along the ground contacting bottom edges of the tent walls 67 and 68 is a length of plastic or other tube 72, the two ends ,of which are connected together by a coupling, not shown. The tube 72 is provided with a hose connection 73, this connection having a removable cap 74 and an air vent 75. The door flaps 69 are adapted to be secured to the sides of the-door ope-ningsand to the top edges of the fold enclosing the tube 72 by means of a slide fastener 76, thus the tube forms a sill for said door openings. By filling thetube 72 with water the lower edges of the tent are given sufiicient weight to prevent them flapping in a strong breeze.

The shelter is dismantled by first removing the cover or tent from the posts followed by the arms 56 and sleeve 53. The sleeves are placed on an arm 56 and the arms are thenseated in the bracket 22 of a post and are positioned to extend parallel to andin contact with the post. By swinging the extensions 49 downwardly into contact with the arms the several parts of the frame are bound .together as a unit and in this condition may be rolled in the cover or otherwise stored until again required.

In the modified shelter frame shown in FIGS. 6 and 7,.each post 81. is provided at its upper end with a ,plate 82 and this plate has two laterally spaced and aligned channels 83. The plate 82 also has a centrally disposed bracket85 having a front wall 86 which extends vertically downwards parallel to and widely spaced from said plate. An extension 88 is secured to the front wall 86 by a hinge 89, said extension having an eye 90 at its upper end. A centrally located bolt 92 is carried by the plate 82 and mounted on this :bolt is a cross member 93. Two arms 94 makeup the cross member, the arms each being provided at their outer ends with an eyed ferrule, not shown. The inner ends of the arms are fitted with sleeves 95 having otlset ends 96 and these ends have aligned openings 97 through which the bolt 92 projects. As shown in FIG. 7 only, the oliset ends are reduced in thickness to overlap one another and the contacting faces of said-ends are provided with intermeshinng teeth 98. A wing nut 99 is fitted to the bolt 92 to lock the two arms in'horizontally aligned position with the sleeves 95 lodged in the channels83.

The modified frame 80 will support either the cover 60 or the tent 65. In this case the ridge cords are tied to the eye 90 of the extension 88 with said extension being supported in vertical position by the bracket wall 86. The side edge cords are tied to the ends of the cross arms as before. When the modified frame is dismantled the nut 99 is backed off and the arms 94 are moved lengthwise of the bolt 92, out of their channels 83 and into contact with the inner face of the bracket wall 86. From this position the arms may be swung downwardly parallel to one another and to the post 16. By retightening the nut 92 the arms are locked in this folded position and when the extension 88 is also swung downwardly about its hinge 89 a neat compact bundle is provided for storage.

What'I claim is: For use on a picnic table or the like, a shelter comprising a frame having vertical posts, means releasably securing the lower end of each post to an end edge of the picnic table, a horizontally extending pair of arms at the upper end of each post, a sleeve connecting the adjoining inner ends of the pair of arms, said sleeve having a central opening, said post having an upper part provided with a vertically spaced pin and a flange, saidpin projecting through the sleeve opening and said flange preventing rotation of the sleeve about the pin, an extension hingedly mounted on the post part and normally engaging the outer edge of the sleeve, a flexible cover supported by the frame, said cover having a ridge member secured to the extensions and side edge members secured .to the outer ends of the pairs of arms.

References Cited by .the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 505,781 9/1893 Vance 256-65 X 2,090,863 8/1937 Feykert. 2,341,672 2/1944 Terrill -5 2,362,567 11/1944 LaRue 1355 2,515,454 7/1950 KrumWiede l35-7.l 2,518,167 8/1950 Mintz 1355 2,618,285 11/1952 Heizig 135--6 2,921,592 1/1960 Mackey 1351 2,990,837 7/1961 Cushman 1351 3,032,046 5/1962 Coonrodt 1357.1 X 3,036,800 5/1962 Hendori 248-4l FOREIGN PATENTS 1,084,050 6/1954 France.

HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner.

REINALDO P. MACHADO, Examiner. 

